Happy Birthday, First Lady: 49 Reasons Why We Love You!

1) She is a great Mother. It is evident that Mrs. Obama is a hands-on Mom to daughters Malia and Sasha. Responsible parenting is her credo, and despite a grueling schedule, the mom-in-chief is a devoted nurturer who is intent on keeping her children grounded. The doting mom still prays with her girls every night before she tucks them in.

2)She is a dedicated wife. Mrs. Obama has been very vocal about the fact that she thinks her husband, Barack, is a wonderful partner, husband, and father, “We’re each other’s best friends and closest advisors,” she said during an interview with Babble.com.

The First Lady, whose nickname for the Prez is “Honey,” seems to be her husband’s biggest supporter and often speaks out about what she thinks he brings to this country. The Obamas are openly affectionate toward each other and present a powerful example of what a modern-day partnership between equals looks like.

3) She loves and respects animals. After being contacted by the New York Post on whether or not she wears fur, Press Secretary Semonti Mustaphi responded:

Mrs. Obama does not wear fur.

So in PETA’s eyes, she looks pretty darn fabulous.

4) She champions healthy eating for children. Mrs. Obama launched the “Let’s Move!” healthful eating campaign to help fight childhood obesity. At its core, the initiative has four pillars:

increased awareness about nutrition

more physical activity

easier access to healthier foods

personal responsibility

The campaign is not a war on fast foods, but about getting the nation’s kids on a fast track to good health, which leads to increased self-esteem.

5) She is a fashion icon. Mrs. Obama is a mix-and-match master, and while she loves designer duds, she isn’t afraid to pair them with budget-friendly finds from stores like the Gap or J. Crew.

6) She is very intelligent. A product of Chicago public schools, Mrs. Obama studied Sociology and African-American studies at Princeton University. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1988, she joined the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin, where she met her future husband. She is only one of three first ladies to have received a Master’s degree (the other two are Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton).

7) She admits to food vices. While Mrs. Obama has admitted that she loves hot wings, French fries, and bacon, she eats them in moderation and presents realistic ways of managing unhealthy food, making her all the more lovable!

8) She can dance! As part of her “Let’s Move!” campaign in a D.C. public school last May, Mrs. Obama demonstrated that she can do the Dougie and the Running Man.

9) She smells good. The First Lady is smitten with Creed’s Love in White, which is a crisp mix of orange blossom and citrus notes.

10) She has fabulous arms. We all have arm envy of Mrs. Obama’s first guns, nicknamed “Thunder and Lightening.” Her arms are buff and she’s not afraid to show ‘em!

11) She hates pantyhose. And so do 99.99 percent of women! Mrs. Obama finds the restrictive, male-invented legwear “painful!”

12) She works out like a fiend. Mrs. Obama loves to exercise, and it shows. The First Lady keeps her hot bod fit by changing up her exercise routine, hitting the treadmill, lifting weights, jumping rope, kickboxing, and taking Pilates. One of her favorite artists to sweat to is Beyoncé.

13) She is a good daughter. When the Obamas moved into the White House, the First Lady’s mom, Marian Robinson, was in tow. Mrs. Robinson has been described as the bedrock of the Obama family. After he was elected president, Obama said on “60 Minutes,” “She’s just been an unbelievable support for all of us during this process.” The love among mother, daughter, son-in-law, and grandkids is oh-so-evident.

14) She supports military families. Mrs. Obama and Dr. Jill Biden launched a national initiative to support and honor America’s service members and their families. “Joining Forces” was created to address the unique challenges and needs of military families. The initiative focuses on key priority areas (employment, education, and wellness), while working to raise awareness about the lives of military families.

14) She is not an ice princess. Mrs. Obama actually shows emotion and isn’t afraid to laugh, cry, dance, or sing in public.

15) She is so down to earth she even has celeb crushes. Yes, the First Lady is capable of blushing especially when she is surrounded by such fine male specimens as Denzel, George Clooney and Will Smith.

16) She is a good cook. When Mrs. Obama has time to get down in the kitchen, she admits that she can “burn a pot.” Mrs. Obama’s shrimp linguine is one of her husband’s fave dishes.

17) She loves to shop at Target. Even though being a First Lady makes things difficult, Mrs. Obama loves shopping at Target. It’s nice to know that Mrs. Obama, like the rest of us, wants to “expect more and pay less.”

18) She has nice hair. No clips, weaves or wigs, the First Lady’s do is always polished, always stylish and is all truly hers.

19) She is a good sister. Mrs. Obama and her brother Craig, who is 16 months older, were often mistaken for twins growing up. The pair are so close that the First Lady even followed her brother to Princeton University. She often refers to her brother as her best friend.

20) She loves healthy food. Mrs. Obama has supported the organic food movement, instructing the White House kitchens to prepare organic food for guests and her family. In 2009, Michelle worked with 23 fifth graders from a local school in Washington, D.C., to plant a 1,100-square-foot garden of fresh vegetables and install bee hives on the South Lawn of the White House.

21) She is a role model. Always poised and well-spoken, Mrs. Obama exudes a confidence and grace that is exemplary for young girls everywhere.

22) She is a friend in our heads. Mrs. Obama is like a sisterfriend: She seems like the kind of friend who could bring you out of your deepest funk with her indefatigable smile and words of wisdom.

23) She supports the arts. The First Lady has often said that it is through music, literature, art, drama, and dance that we tell the story of our past and we express our hopes for the future.

24) She loves to read. Whenever Mrs. Obama picks up a book, it generates tons of buzz. She loves reading books to not only her own children but has to countless students as well.

25) She has a nickname. The Robinson family call her “Miche,” and her husband refers to her as “my rock.”

26) She is outspoken. In addition to some of the memorable things she said on the campaign trail, she told her teachers when she got to Princeton that they weren’t teaching French correctly.

27) She has a favorite TV show. Mrs. Obama likes to kick back by watching reruns of 1960′s comedy “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” (And so do I!) She has also admitted to indulging in a few of those ‘Real Housewives’ reality shows.

28) She knows what it’s like to lose a loved one. Mrs. Obama’s dad died from complications of multiple sclerosis when she was in her 20s.

29) She likes all kinds of music. The First Lady’s personal playlist includes cuts like “No Diggety,” by Blackstreet; “Poison,” by Bel Biv DeVoe; and songs by Guns N’ Roses and rapper Eminem.

30) She loves Sudoku. The psychological appeal of the puzzle game has gained popularity over the years.

31) She keeps it real. The First Lady has shared some personal stuff with the public about her hubby, like his smelly socks and how he forgets to put the butter away.

32) She can think on her feet. During the election campaign, the First Lady wrote her own speeches and spoke without using notes.

33) She calls it as she sees it. When Mrs. Obama first met her husband, she thought he had a big nose.

34) She keeps connected to her husband. Mrs. Obama and the President are in constant communication even when he’s away. To keep in touch, they use a webcam.

35) She puts her husband to work. Mrs. Obama can still make her husband do the dishes whenever she cooks.

36) She has a familiar lineage. Jim Robinson, the First Lady’s great-great grandfather, was a slave in South Carolina before the Civil War.

37) She is anti-smoking. President Obama was a smoker, and after years of pressure from the First Lady, he finally quit the habit over a year ago. The President had been a smoker for 30 years.

38) She is a mover and shaker. Before she became the First Lady, Mrs. Obama was on the board of six major organizations, including the prestigious Chicago Council on Global Affairs, the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, and Tree House Foods. She was also vice president of Community and External Affairs at the University of Chicago Hospitals.

39) She is an ambassador of goodwill. Last year, Mrs. Obama made official trips to Africa, India, Latin America, and the U.K., showing her talent as a goodwill ambassador and spokesperson for the less fortunate.

40) She is popular. More popular than her husband, Mrs. Obama’s approval ratings hover near 70 percent while President Obama’s ratings are less than 40 percent.

41) She is a feminist. Mrs. Obama seems to embody the notion at the center of feminism: women can be both intelligent and powerful.

42) She is into Twitter. Since joining Twitter on January 12, the First Lady has occasionally tweeted as herself with posts signed “mo.”

42) She loves jumping double Dutch. We all watched Mrs. Obama on the news last September jumping double Dutch with D.C.-area kids on the White House south lawn. She said it made her happy.

43) She likes dark chocolate. What are her favorite sinful treats? The Seattle-based Fran’s Chocolates is her weakness.

44) She is a good baker. The First Lady runs the White house like a home and still finds the time to bake. Mrs. Obama loves her Apple Cobbler recipe.

45) She is a cool Mom who lets 14-year-old Malia use makeup. Before she allowed her oldest daughter to apply makeup, Mrs. Obama talked through the grown-up move with her.

46) She has zero-tolerance for bullying. The First Lady works to dispel the myth that bullying is a normal rite of passage for kids.

47) She loves America. Mrs. Obama loves the United States and the opportunities it has given her, such as living the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “I Have a Dream” speech.

48)She is beautiful. Named as one of People Magazines “World’s Most Beautiful People 2009,” Mrs. Obama has both outer and inner beauty. The First Lady credits her father and brother for giving her high self-esteem, making her the confident woman she is today.

49) She loves her job as First Lady. Mrs. Obama loves her job, loves people, has an exceptional work mantra and likes having a positive impact on America. She is eagerly awaiting the official start of their second term in the White House and feels there is still much work to do. The First Lady has let it be known that she has sought to chart a course which allows her to leave a legacy that is a lasting one.